Elkhorn Ranch
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The Elkhorn Ranch was established by
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
on the banks of the Little Missouri River 35 miles north of Medora, North Dakota in the summer of 1884. Roosevelt hired Bill SewallEdward Wiggin in his ''History of Aroostook'' (1886) tells that Wm. W. Sewall "has for years been a friend and companion of Theodore Roosevelt of New York, who formerly came to Island Falls every summer for a few weeks' outing. A few years ago Mr. Sewall went with Mr. Roosevelt to Dakota and for two years took charge of a large cattle ranch for that gentleman (p. 211). Bill Sewall was a son of Levi Sewall, one of the two first pioneers who settled Island Falls in the county of Aroostook in 1843. and Wilmot Dow, two
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
woodsmen, to run the ranch. Sewall and Dow built the ranch house, "a long, low house of logs," in the winter of 1884–1885. The Elkhorn Ranch was Theodore Roosevelt's "main ranch", and his preferred ranch house because it was larger and more private than his Maltese Cross Ranch cabin, established in 1883. Roosevelt particularly enjoyed sitting in the veranda in a rocking chair, reading in the shade of the cottonwood trees. His enjoyment is evident in his books, ''Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail'', ''Hunting Trips of a Ranchman'', and ''The Wilderness Hunter''. In the spring of 1886, thieves stole Roosevelt's boat from the Elkhorn Ranch. Sewall and Dow hastily built a raft and all three set off downriver to catch the thieves. When they did, Roosevelt kept watch over the three thieves with a shotgun and marched them overland to
Dickinson, North Dakota Dickinson is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 25,679 at the 2020 census. Dickinson is home to the Ukrainian Cultural Institute, which has a museum and holds events year round for the ...
, where he collected a $50 reward. Roosevelt quit the ranch in 1887 after losing 60% of his stock in the starvation winter of 1886–87, and returned only a handful of times to the badlands after that. He kept a small share of the cattle until 1898 at the outset of the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...
. Theodore Roosevelt's writing desk from the Elkhorn Ranch is on display at
Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an American national park of the badlands in western North Dakota comprising three geographically separated areas. Honoring U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, it is the only American national park named direc ...
. The Elkhorn Ranch Site itself is protected as a unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.


See also

*
Yule Ranch Yule Ranch (now Three V Ranch) is a historic property in Golden Valley and Slope counties in North Dakota, United States. Background Founded in 1883 by John Pender as the JXL Ranch or Yule Ranch, historically the ranch was a multi-state cattle ...


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* * Ranches on the National Register of Historic Places Theodore Roosevelt National Park Roosevelt family residences National Register of Historic Places in Billings County, North Dakota Presidential homes in the United States National Register of Historic Places in national parks Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota Log buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota 1884 establishments in Dakota Territory Ranches in the United States {{NorthDakota-NRHP-stub